My Virginia Creeper...

Cadillactaste

Neagari Gal
Messages
16,637
Reaction score
22,066
Location
NE Ohio: zone 4 (USA) lake microclimate
USDA Zone
5b
While not a cultivar for everyone...I am fond of its location that gives a nice welcoming scene for visitors on the landing coming up to the main section of our deck. It's out of the way so if anyone is skin sensitive toward it...they still won't come into contact with it. (The stand is zip tied to the railing behind it...and the pot secure. The wind that blows across the front of our home way is quite strong. Ripped a decorative pole off the front of my house...though this is a bit lower than main deck and may have a bit of a break from the wind with the gazebo to the right of the opposite stairs beside it.)

image.jpg
 
@Vin had mentioned my relocating this creeper to not be in such hot afternoon sun. That said...its thriving out back under the pergola. He nailed it...its foliage is not looking worse for wear as it has in past years.

Any whoooo...we had a horrendous storm...and I decided to edit the photos taken of the creeper to seem just as dramatic as the storm it went through.

image.jpg

image.jpg
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    352.9 KB · Views: 17
Just love this plant, Darlene.
Thanks...its starting to grow on me. I am leaning more to love,than the hate relationship with it I once had. It at one time...was always a question why I kept it. Now...I am leaning toward...I am glad I didn't part ways with it years back. I purchased years back...for the blue pot it came in. No one bid against me on EBay and I won it. The tree really needed fully developed. It was basically roots and a trunk. A hot mess of roots too. I planted this deep...because there was to much confusion. But I do sometimes wonder...what repot come spring will bring. Now with it having a canopy...will I expose more...or leave them buried. Guess it will be left for a repot decision come next spring.
 
Sorry, Darleen - I just can't help but respond to this cascade of beauty and emotion except to repost one of my favorite poems, one that touches - for me - on so much of the connection we can feel for our bonsai in certain magical moments. Enjoy, perhaps, if you can.


Transcription of Organ Music

The flower in the glass peanut bottle formally in the kitchen crooked to take a place in the light,
the closet door opened, because I used it before, it currently stayed open waiting for me, it’s owner.

I began to feel my misery in pallet on the floor, listening to music, my misery, that’s why I want to sing.
The room closed down on me, I expected the presence of the Creator, I saw my gray painted walls and ceiling, they contained my room, they contained me
as the sky contained my garden,

I opened my door
The rambler vine climbed up the cottage post, the leaves in the night still where the day had placed them, the animal heads of the flowers where they had arisen
to think at the sun

Can I bring back the words? Will thought of transcription haze my mental open eye?

The kindly search for growth, the gracious desire to exist of the flowers, my near ecstasy at existing among them
The privilege to witness my existence - you too must see the sun . . .

My books piled up before me for my use
waiting in space where I placed to them, they haven’t disappeared, time’s left its remnants and qualities for me to use - my words piled up, my texts, my manuscripts, my love.

I had a moment of clarity, saw the feeling in the heart of things, walked out to the garden crying.
Saw the red blossoms in the night light, sun’s gone, they had all grown, in a moment, and were waiting stopped in time for the day sun to come and give them. . . .
Flowers which as in a dream at sunset I watered faithfully not knowing how much I love them.
I am so lonely in my glory - except they too out there - I looked up - those red bush blossoms beckoning and peering in the window waiting in blind love, their leaves too have hope and are upturned top flat to the sky to receive - all creation open to receive - the flat earth itself.

The music descends, as does the tall bending stalk of the heavy blossom, because it has to, to stay alive, to continue to the last drop of joy.
The world knows the love that’s in its breast as in the flower, the suffering lonely world.
The Father is merciful.

The light socket is crudely attached to the ceiling, after the house was built, to receive a plug which sticks in it alright, and serves my phonograph now . . .

The closet door is open for me, where I left it, since I left it open, it has graciously stayed open.
The kitchen has no door, the hole there will admit me should I wish to enter the kitchen.
I remember when I first got laid, H. P. graciously took my cherry, I sat on the docks of Provincetown, age 23, joyful, elevated in hope with the Father, the door to the womb was open to admit me if I wished to enter.

There are unused electricity plugs all over my house if I ever need them.
The kitchen window is open, to admit air . . .
The telephone - sad to relate - sits on the floor - I haven’t the money to get it connected -

I want people to bow as they see me and say he is gifted with poetry, he has seen the presence of the Creator.
And the Creator gave me a shot of his presence to gratify my wish, so as not to cheat me of my yearning for him.


Allen Ginsberg,
Berkeley 1955
 
@grouper52 ...wow, truly touching. That is a poem that each time you read it...you can grasp something new in it. I read it three times. Each evoking something different. Seeing something I missed prior. Thank you for sharing this beautifully written poem...with much depth if one seeks to find it.
 
If we don't see "The Divine" in our trees - whatever "The Divine" is - then we probably don't see it in ourselves either, or in our love for our trees, (or much else).

You don't need to drop high doses of Purple Owlsey to see it, like Ginsberg did, and you can't get that anymore anyway, but I think his poem can lead people to a state where it happens automatically, which is why I share it or mention it here on BonsaiNut occasioinally. I'm glad you liked it well enough to try to connect to it and understand it with multiple readfings. I think you will see and understand your Virginia Creeper much better now.
 
Thanks...its starting to grow on me. I am leaning more to love,than the hate relationship with it I once had. It at one time...was always a question why I kept it. Now...I am leaning toward...I am glad I didn't part ways with it years back. I purchased years back...for the blue pot it came in. No one bid against me on EBay and I won it. The tree really needed fully developed. It was basically roots and a trunk. A hot mess of roots too. I planted this deep...because there was to much confusion. But I do sometimes wonder...what repot come spring will bring. Now with it having a canopy...will I expose more...or leave them buried. Guess it will be left for a repot decision come next spring.

I love this plant too; it has gorgeous fall colour, does not weigh down trees like ivy does, and is a great food source for birds. I have one in a training pot and I noticed that the roots thickened much more quickly than the trunk. I would strongly encourage you to keep developing the roots, and slowly expose them. You might eventually be able to use the exposed roots to compensate for the spindly stems.
 
That said...its thriving out back under the pergola.

Although I did not get to digging some monsters again this year they grow best shaded as @Vin shared. The few I have marked are over 50 years old with the longest branches growing from the ground to the top of the peak on the big barn. They simply spread from side to side but don't cross the peak into the Sun. As is they are among thick old trees. There they are covered with natural compost/mulch at the base and I was wondering if that moss chews up the trunk a bit - curious. Nice work so far by the way!

Grimmy
 
If we don't see "The Divine" in our trees - whatever "The Divine" is - then we probably don't see it in ourselves either, or in our love for our trees, (or much else).

You don't need to drop high doses of Purple Owlsey to see it, like Ginsberg did, and you can't get that anymore anyway, but I think his poem can lead people to a state where it happens automatically, which is why I share it or mention it here on BonsaiNut occasioinally. I'm glad you liked it well enough to try to connect to it and understand it with multiple readfings. I think you will see and understand your Virginia Creeper much better now.
Thanks Will, well...his words were thought provoking...a bit confusing...thus rereading it a few times to see beauty in things beyond one's door so to speak. Had to Google Purple Owlsey...to grasp what it was. But true...we don't need that...we have our trees. But we need to see them for more than just trees.

My editing the photo...Its not my norm. But we had such severe storms...as I glanced out my window at the creeper. Braving the storm...looking majestic there. I wanted to capture it more than itself...but how I seen it.
 
Although I did not get to digging some monsters again this year they grow best shaded as @Vin shared. The few I have marked are over 50 years old with the longest branches growing from the ground to the top of the peak on the big barn. They simply spread from side to side but don't cross the peak into the Sun. As is they are among thick old trees. There they are covered with natural compost/mulch at the base and I was wondering if that moss chews up the trunk a bit - curious. Nice work so far by the way!

Grimmy
We have creeper on fence posts...so they get sun. But maybe not afternoon Sun back on the farm.

As for the moss...I added it to the pot to keep the chimpmunks from storing their seed in my pot! It has crept up on the bark...will need to hit it with vinegar.

But it's tosses back budding and foliage is healthy where it currently is. Still mulling if I should defoliate it. Mention end of June ideal...but may wait this year...to just observe how well fall colors treat it here.
 
Although I did not get to digging some monsters again this year they grow best shaded as @Vin shared. The few I have marked are over 50 years old with the longest branches growing from the ground to the top of the peak on the big barn. They simply spread from side to side but don't cross the peak into the Sun. As is they are among thick old trees. There they are covered with natural compost/mulch at the base and I was wondering if that moss chews up the trunk a bit - curious. Nice work so far by the way!

Grimmy
We have creeper on fence posts...so they get sun. But maybe not afternoon Sun back on the farm.

As for the moss...I added it to the pot to keep the chimpmunks from storing their seed in my pot! It has crept up on the bark...will need to hit it with vinegar.

But it's tosses back budding and foliage is healthy where it currently is. Still mulling if I should defoliate it. Mention end of June ideal...but may wait this year...to just observe how well fall colors treat it here.
 
Mention end of June ideal...but may wait this year...to just observe how well fall colors treat it here.
At least this year enjoy the colors - they are wonderful! Save the defoliation for the next few seasons, enjoy it at least once every few years :)

Grimmy
 
How did you go about collecting it? And what form was it in?

Virginia creeper grows aggressively in my backyard, but it naturally grows as a vine, eventually thickening into long, barky ropes. The largest of the vines are as much as 2 inches in diameter, and 30 feet long but not sure if I can just collect a 6 inch section, seal it, and plant it like a trunk? If so I'd have a lot of large VC bonsai in my future.
 
How did you go about collecting it? And what form was it in?

Virginia creeper grows aggressively in my backyard, but it naturally grows as a vine, eventually thickening into long, barky ropes. The largest of the vines are as much as 2 inches in diameter, and 30 feet long but not sure if I can just collect a 6 inch section, seal it, and plant it like a trunk? If so I'd have a lot of large VC bonsai in my future.
I purchased a blue pot off eBay with it in it. So no clue. They are hard to kill. So imagine you could easily do that. I've also seen ones sold at Box stores in spring real cheap. 🤷 They are easy to wire new growth and hold form in a year or so.
 
Last edited:
How did you go about collecting it? And what form was it in?

Virginia creeper grows aggressively in my backyard, but it naturally grows as a vine, eventually thickening into long, barky ropes. The largest of the vines are as much as 2 inches in diameter, and 30 feet long but not sure if I can just collect a 6 inch section, seal it, and plant it like a trunk? If so I'd have a lot of large VC bonsai in my future.

Collecting various segments of large diameter virginia creeper vines is exactly how the better virginia creeper bonsai were created. So go for it. If you collect segments of vine before leaves come out, the base will root easily, and then the top will back bud and grow.
 
Back
Top Bottom